Lavender

Hey there, Zoo Freaks, groovin’ to the sweet vibes of Marillion’s “Lavender” from their iconic Misplaced Childhood album! This track’s got some wild roots, inspired by the classic folk song “Lavender’s Blue,” which dates back to the 17th century and got a rock ‘n’ roll revival in the ‘50s by Solomon Burke. Marillion’s frontman Fish cooked up the concept for this song during a 10-hour LSD trip in Aylesbury, where he felt a child dressed as a soldier appear behind him, sparking the album’s theme of lost childhood. The single version of “Lavender” is a trip in itself, stretched out to 3:40 for the 7” release and 4:18 for the 12” version, dubbed “Lavender Blue,” with a guitar solo by Steve Rothery that’s not in the album’s shorter 2:27 cut. Fish has said the song channels the innocence of childhood love, a stark contrast to the heartbreak of “Kayleigh,” making it a perfect psychedelic pop gem that nods to Joni Mitchell’s The Hissing of Summer Lawns.

The recording of “Lavender” went down in Berlin’s Hansa Tonstudio in 1985, a place Fish called “a playground for adults” with a “decadent, hedonistic atmosphere” that fueled the band’s creativity. The band demoed the track at Bray Film Studios, owned by Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson, before heading to Berlin. Keyboardist Mark Kelly noted the band was tight-knit during this time, with high camaraderie after the success of their live album Real to Reel, making the album feel like it “almost wrote itself.” The cover art, featuring a young boy named Robert Mead as a soldier drummer, was crafted by Mark Wilkinson, who also included Mead in the “Lavender” single sleeve and the song’s video. Fans on X still rave about the song, with posts calling Misplaced Childhood a “universal masterpiece” and praising “Lavender” for its heartfelt, poetic vibe.

Marillion kicked off their journey in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, in 1979, rising from the ashes of a local band called Electric Gypsy. Originally named Silmarillion after J.R.R. Tolkien’s book, they tweaked it to Marillion in 1981 when Fish, born Derek William Dick, joined as their larger-than-life frontman. Fish’s theatrical style, influenced by Peter Gabriel-era Genesis, Van der Graaf Generator, and Pink Floyd, blended punk’s raw edge with prog rock’s grandeur, creating the neo-prog sound that defined their early years. Their debut single, “Market Square Heroes,” dropped in 1982, followed by their first album, Script for a Jester’s Tear, in 1983, which hit number 7 in the UK charts. By the time Misplaced Childhood soared to number one in 1985, Marillion had cemented their place as the biggest neo-prog act of the ‘80s, with Fish’s vivid lyrics and Steve Rothery’s searing guitar riffs leading the charge.

Connect with Marillion and their vibrant fanbase online! Their official website is www.marillion.com, where you can snag merch and check tour dates. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and X for the latest updates. Fans gather at sites like ProgArchives for deep dives into the band’s discography and on Facebook groups like The Web UK to share their love for Marillion’s epic sound. Keep spinnin’ those records, Zoo Crew, and let “Lavender” take you back to those dreamy childhood days!